All posts tagged "Opera"

Norwegian internet company Opera isn't quite as well known in the desktop browser space, at least in terms of usage figures. Globally, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft's Internet Explorer still command the lion's share of users' internet tabs.
When it comes to mobile browsers though, the firm has historically had a huge following in Africa.
The company this week published its State of Mobile Web Report for Africa 2016, and with it, a slew of insights into Africa's voracious mobile device and web usage using its software and services as a lens. So, what are some of the key takeaways?
More...

New research from Opera Software found that over half of the top 60 Android shopping apps collect personal information via trackers. However, South Africa's OLX and Letgo were mentioned as some of the worst offenders as well.
The two South African services were joined by the likes of Flipkart, Amazon, JC Penney, Best Buy and eBay Kleinanzeigen as the shopping apps with the highest amount of trackers.
These trackers collected information such as your name, email address, location, phone number and search terms, Opera wrote in an emailed press release.
The results were obtained using privacy mode in the updated Opera Max...

The browser wars are hotting up again, largely thanks to Microsoft.
According to a number of user reports, the company is once again issuing tips in its Windows 10 notifications system alerting users to Google Chrome's battery usage.
"Chrome is draining your battery faster. Switch to Microsoft Edge for up to 36 percent more browsing time," it suggests.
Remember when I spoke about the anti-@googlechrome pop up? It's come back, here is a screenshot! #windows10 pic.twitter.com/FpOjL27srK
— Rudy Huyn (@RudyHuyn) July 18, 2016
The latest move follows Microsoft's published YouTube video and extensive article, highlighting the differences in battery life between Chrome, Mozilla Firefox,...

Opera, the Norwegian based technology company, has been churning out new product after product this year.
After fitting its desktop browser with a new VPN service, updated its Opera Mini browser with build-in ad-blocking facilities, and polished its Opera Max data reduction service, its now looking exclusively at iOS.
The company has now launched a VPN app exclusively for the likes of the iPhone and iPad, in a bid to win over Apple's faithful.
But how is this different to the VPN service within Opera desktop browser?
For one, the VPN app is now device-wide, encompassing all traffic, unlike its browser-only cousin. The...

Opera Mini, the mobile browser that many use on Android devices (and some other platforms), now boasts a built-in ad-blocker.
This new move comes on the back of its free VPN service on desktop browsers it launched earlier this year.
The ad-blocker on Opera Mini though suggests that the company's looking at the lower end smartphone market, those users strapped for processing power and data. The blocker therefore saves around 14% on data, and nearly halves page load times, the company claims.
While you could theoretically download Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for mobile (these are available on other platforms too), they...

Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox rule the roost when it comes to desktop browsing, but Opera's latest browser update might lead you to switch...
The Norwegian company has pulled a fast one by integrating a free VPN service into its browser - albeit in the developer version of the browser for now.
"All other VPNs for the major desktop browsers are extensions, with most of them based on a paid-subscription model or offering limited data usage," the company explained on its website.
"Everyone deserves to be private online if they want to be. By adding a free, unlimited VPN directly into the browser, no...

Opera has unveiled its new identity. The last time the browser company altered its logo was in 2013, though the company says that this is more than a logo shift.
According to a press release sent to Memeburn, the logo represents Opera in its entirety, emphasising that its products are more than technology.
Sean D'Arcy, VP of Opera's global marketing and distribution, wrote in a blog post that “with the extended Opera family and our ever-expanding range of products and services, we feel we’ve grown beyond the bounds of a software company."
Read more: Opera VP Richard Monday tells Memeburn why its...

Student life is a tough one. Life is expensive and income is practically non-existent because you're a student. Ironically it usually comes at a time when you have to start paying for things and cutting costs.
Norwegian software giant Opera has stepped up its game and optimization seems to be the catch term; trimming the fat and getting the biggest supernova out of your buck for data is where Opera Max app is leading the technology.
The app's latest update compresses videos, photos and media on apps or websites on your mobile (both mobile internet and Wi-Fi), which means you're putting your...

Things are hotting up at Norwegian software company Opera. Just a couple of days after announcing that it would be moving to the WebKit rendering engine, it revealed that it had bought out rival browser maker Skyfire Labs.
Opera is believed to have pushed the deal, worth US$155-million, through in a bid to get hold of its Rocket Optimizer software, which reduces the size of video and other streaming media when broadcast across mobile networks.
Skyfire can detect when specific users are facing poor quality of experience or connections that need assistance, and, says Opera, can "intervene in milliseconds"....

The latest State of Mobile Advertising report from Norwegian web browser maker Opera shows a couple of interesting trends, including the emergence of Russia as a mobile advertising power and the increasing importance of Android as a mobile advertising platform.
The report, which is based on data from the Opera Mediaworks mobile ad platform during the last quarter of 2012, shows that mobile is accelerating as an advertising force. The fourth quarter of 2012, it says, represented more than a two-times increase in impressions and revenue to publishers compared to any other quarter in 2012.
Of particular interest...

Opera has partnered with Brazilian mobile operator TIM to launch the TIM App Shop, which will be powered by the Opera Mobile Store.
According to The Next Web, the partnership will see the TIM App Shop pre-loaded on all devices sold by the mobile carrier, which is Brazil's second largest.
It is also reportedly the preferred carrier for the country's middle class. In a country where fixed internet connections are still comparatively expensive, that means its mobile devices will also be the primary means by which its customers access the internet.
Given that a large portion of those customers...

Norwegian software outfit Opera has announced the launch of a streaming music service in Russia -- one of the markets where its mobile browser performs best.
The idea behind the product, called Unlimited Music, is to “make music files available in a simple and affordable way for Russians, no matter if they are on a feature phone or a smartphone,” the company told The Next Web.
While the service is available on the...

It may not be a big in the world of desktop browsers but Opera's mobile effort makes it a serious player in the browser wars.
The Norwegian-made browser today revealed that its mobile browsers are installed on some 200-million phones across the world, up 47% from the same period last year.
The company also reports that it's experienced massive growth in its African user numbers. Thirty six countries more than doubled their...

Android is winning -- hang on a moment Apple fans, take a deep breath and let me finish before you start pounding your keyboards in anger -- the mobile browser wars.
According to the latest figures from StatCounter, Android’s native browser has officially taken over from Opera’s as the most used on the planet.
Android’s market infiltration has grown two percent in the last couple of months to just under 23%. Opera...

Opera doesn't really feature in the web browser landscape. Its mobile browser Opera Mini, on the other hand, is among the most popular. Hardly surprising then, that it should trumpet the release of a new iteration of the latter called Opera Mini Next.
The new browser reportedly leverages social through a new feature called the Smart Page. According to Opera, the Smart Page "will take its position alongside Opera’s famous Speed Dial...